We here at Keawe Adventures wish all veterans around the world a Happy Veterans Day.

When you serve in the military, you become a part of a tight-knit community. The same thing happens when you leave. You become a veteran, joining tens of millions around the country.  It is a bond of service and sacrifice that forever holds Veterans together.

Here at Keawe Adventures we are pleased to have our own Veterans as a part of the Ohana.   Yesterday we featured our owner, Makani Christensen, in honor of the United States Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day.  Today we would like to highlight two of our guide’s military careers below.  Both are outstanding men who have answered the call to duty and to this day continue to be well involved in their communities.   Mahalo Tony and Fernando!

“I entered the US Navy on 12 February 1991 and retired 29 February 2012. I had the honor of being a US Navy Seabee, the Navy’s construction engineers. Throughout my career I deployed 9 times to locations around the globe. As a Seabee,  I completed 4 combat tours, 1 tour to Bosnia/Herzegovina, and 3 tours in Iraq, including the 2003 invasion of Iraq. To me my military service is unique, I never saw it as a job, it was my life, as well as my family’s life. My wife and two daughters had to endure 9 long deployments 12 field exercises and several humanitarian relief missions all equaling 11 years apart from each other. This is time I will never get back. You would think that these sacrifices would keep any one of my daughters out of the military. Bet yet my oldest daughter serves with distinction as a First Lieutenant in the US Air Force.”

-Tony Chance, RET MCPO, United States Navy

Fernando Angueira enlisted in the United States Army as an Infantryman in November 2002. His first duty station was 2/22 Infantry Battalion, 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, NY. Fernando served as a scout and squad automatic weapon gunner. He deployed twice with 2/22; 10 months to Kandahar Province, Afghanistan and 12 months to Sadr City, Iraq. After his second combat tour he completed the Basic Airborne Course in Fort Benning, GA. In 2006, Fernando was reassigned to 1-503rd Battalion, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team-Airborne in Vicenza, Italy. He held various leadership positions over the course of eight years with the unit to include: section sergeant, squad leader, platoon sergeant, rear-detachment First Sergeant. Fernando completed three combat tours with 173rd; 15 months to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, 12 months to Wardak Province, Afghanistan, and 5 months to Logar, Province, Afghanistan. Fernando Angueira honorably completed his service in September 2014. He still remains committed and active to the Oahu veteran community through volunteer service and events.

-Fernando Angueira, SSG, United States Army

Mahalo and Aloha to all Veterans around the World!  We salute you!